Levi had no idea what was happening outside of his mind in the fight with the troll. In the higher space above him, he could see the representation of his first meditation space, strangely colored and almost a photo negative of its normal appearance. What Levi did know as he watched on was that whatever was happening, he was still in deep, deep trouble.

The damage and mutations along his stamina and mana channels were rapidly spreading. He'd never figured out how to solve that problem. And now, whatever was going on was causing the problem to grow at a terrifying rate.

Worse, it seemed like an more immediate problem was how quickly his mana and stamina were draining. The speed with which he was losing mana and stamina only grew worse with every moment, as his channels became a more and more mangled mess.

He couldn't let his resources run out. Not before Paige was safe. He remembered how cutting his skill had released energy and refilled his mana and stamina the last time he'd been in this space, when he'd been trapped.

He looked around for his will shaped sword until he finally found where he'd driven into into the floor of this place. Yanking it free, he quickly located one of the smallest knots of essence and slashed. This time, the essence blew apart immediately. The problem that had nearly kept him trapped in this place until his body died outside was now as trivial as a lazy sword swing.

He watched as the energy burst out into his higher mindscape, and his mana and stamina were almost fully replenished. He could do this if his channels could hold out; he could continue feeding his resources by destroying skills. He just hoped they'd hold out. He hoped his body outside could hold out. He hoped that he could kill the troll before it was too late, even if that meant he died. That was fine, as long as Paige was safe.

----

Joe came to with a start. He reached out his arm, desperately feeling for the hilt of his sword. His shield was still gripped tightly in his other hand. When he felt nothing, including even his sword arm itself, he looked down to see his arm was gone.

His confusion only lasted a moment, as he remembered the fight with the troll and his arm being torn off.

"Couldn't save it," David said from behind Joe. His voice sounded dry and tight. He spoke quietly, barely more than a harsh whisper.

Joe stood turned. David sat next to a mangled corpse, only recognizable by the torn robes that covered most of the body. David's arms were wrapped around his knees. His face was filthy with blood and dirt, but two trails of cleaner skin told the story of David's grief. Snot and blood were smeared below his nose.

"David... I'm sorry. I..." Joe began. Then Joe quickly snapped his mouth shut.

David said nothing. He just looked down and stared blankly at his knees.

"Levi and Paige?" Joe asked.

"Don't know. Levi said he'd get her out. Paige was out of it, in some kind of black out rage." David shook his head. The gesture was so weak and slight Joe almost didn't even see it. "Probably dead, if I had to guess." There was no grief in David's voice as he said it. It came out as a statement of fact.

"I have to go back." Joe said. He didn't move, just stood looking down at David. He didn't try to rush off like he had last time.

"No one's stopping you. But you'll die, too," David answered.

"No. I can't do that. I can't save them, that's true. No matter what I do. I know that, now. But I have to stay alive. The Safezone needs me to lead the Guard. I have a promise to the goblins to keep."

"Then why go back for them?" David asked.

"I'm not going to fight. But someone needs to know what happens. Someone has to be a witness for them. They deserve that much."

David nodded. "I get it, I guess." His voice sounded hollow.

"Are you going to be okay, here by yourself?" Joe regretted his choice of words immediately.

David's face twisted in agony as he gave Maddy's body a glance, then quickly looked away. Tears began pouring again, and David gave Joe a shuddering nod and tucked his face into his knees.

As Joe made his way back to the fight, he only paused once when he heard David's wail of sorrow. Then he took off in a determined jog.

----

Levi felt sweat on his forehead. His breath was ragged. His limbs trembled, and he felt like it took effort to stay standing. His whole body burned. None of that should have been possible within his mental space under normal circumstances.

But it was easy to see what the problem was, why he was experiencing it, as he looked up at his mana and stamina channels. They looked like they would fall apart at any moment.

Levi cut another skill in half, restoring his mana and stamina again. He watched as even that caused more damage to his channels. And he was running out of skills. He looked around, only counting ten more skills remaining. They were all far larger than the skills he had started cutting in the beginning. There was no doubt, he was now sacrificing his class-based skills.

'This isn't going to work.'

He looked to his channels again, knowing what he was about to do was a desperate move. But if he didn't try, he'd fail to save Paige anyway. He wished he'd figured out how to do it earlier, but it was now or never.

Focusing his will yet again. 'Merge. Become one,' he commanded his energy channels. Levi watched as white energy, the new energy, brightened where the mana and stamina channels touched, bursting out through the channels. He watched as the change began. Spreading out from each point, the channels were twisted together, collapsing, then spreading and reorganizing, in a wave. The bursts of mana and stamina being used by his body suddenly became stuttered, getting slowed or even stopped by the new growth.

It wasn't fast enough. If it didn't happen faster, his body would falter, and Paige would die.

'Faster.' Levi pressed with his will. It sped up, but it still wasn't fast enough. And it had made it worse. His mana and stamina were no longer capable of flowing through the channels, entirely cut off by the new growth.

'NOW!' Levi roared, pressing with every once of mental force he could.

And then everything went black.

----

Joe was both relieved and surprised to see both Paige and Levi were still alive as he crept closer to the fight on his belly. He'd had to stow his shield, and trying to low crawl with one arm was a new and unique challenge as he'd made his way, but he'd done it.

As he looked on, forming a better picture of the fight, he smiled. Paige was slow, her slashes had turned into weak swipes, and she stumbled to follow the troll around the battlefield. If she'd been fighting alone, she'd have been dead long before that point.

Yet, Levi had the troll's full attention. He kept the pressure up with a constant assault. With an unnatural precision and a fluid, perfect grace, Levi wove around the monster, delivering blow after unbelievably powerful blow. Joe wasn't sure why Levi wasn't weilding his sword, but it didn't seem to matter. Levi's fists were devastating, clearly doing serious damage. Joe could hear their impact from where he lay hidden.

When the troll did manage to land a blow, or an attack would have hit the barely upright Paige, it was blocked by Levi's Mana Shield. Levi was even apparently capable of layering them to make them more effective. And his timing was flawless.

Incredibly, the troll was slowing and weakening. Joe didn't even think it was Levi who was actually having the greatest impact. Shallow slashes covered the troll's body, glowing the same faint blue as Paige's daggers, or her cat claws when she was in this form. Her poison was slowly taking effect. The troll's healing had slowed to a barely noticable crawl.

Joe wondered how Levi was moving the way he was. And then it hit him, and Joe's grin spread even wider. "Stupid cultivation bullshit." Joe frowned for a second, then shook his head and smiled again. "You just do what you have to do, brother. Stay alive and win the fight. If you get stuck in there again, I'll figure out how to come in and drag your ass back out."

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Joe watched on as the fight continued. At first, it seemed the troll's death was an inevitable absolute. And then Joe noticed the blood that was flowing more and more from Levi's ears, nose, eyes, and mouth. Then he noticed blood start soaking both the back and front of Levi's trousers, too. Still, the troll was getting even weaker, only barely keeping up with the fight.

Then Paige collapsed. Joe didn't think she had died, but exhaustion had finally won. He had watched as she tried to follow the fight with the troll, swiping weakly, as if she wasn't even aware the troll was still two meters away from her. And then she just stopped, arms sagging to her side, and fell flat on her face.

"Come on, Levi, just a little more. You can do this," Joe urged from his hiding spot.

And then Levi's movements started to get jerky. One second, he'd be flowing smoothly beneath an attack, and then his body would suddenly speed up and then immediately slow to a stall. Twice, Levi tripped over his own feet as this stutter happened, barely recovering in time as the troll's fists came crashing down.

Then one of Levi's Mana Shields failed him. Joe knew something was wrong the moment he saw wisps of green energy and sparks of white within the normally blue Mana Shield. The troll's fist crashed straight through it. Levi was barely able to deflect the remaining force of the blow.

"No, Levi, come on," Joe whispered.

Then Joe's heart sank when Mana Shield didn't come at all. He heard the impact as Levi went flying, skipping like a stone through the tall grass almost fifty meters.

The troll didn't leap at Levi this time. Maybe it believed it was going to win, or perhaps it was simply too exhausted. It simply walked toward where Levi lay.

Joe noticed its wounds were starting to close faster. Fewer and fewer glowing blue slashes marked its body, and the blue seemed to have faded.

Levi had still not gotten to his feet. Joe watched where Levi lay on his back. He didn't look limp. If anything, he looked stiff. Then Levi's back arched, raising above the ground, followed by convulsions. Levi finally went still, flat on his back. Still, the troll lumbered toward Levi.

Joe watched on. His fist clenched a fist into the dirt, tugging at grass roots. "No, Levi. Come on, brother. Get up. Just a little more."

Levi lay still as the troll approached. Then Joe thought he saw a small wisps of white roll over Levi's body. His heart hammered, and he stared at Levi, hoping for any sign of hope.

But the troll was above Levi, fists raised high, and Levi hadn't moved.

Joe looked down, not wanting to watch as the troll killed Levi.

The sound of the troll's fists slamming down thundered across the plains. Joe closed his eyes, and felt the tear as it escaped from the corner of his eye.

Then, a crack like a gunshot sounded out, followed by the sound of something large tumbling across the ground.

Joe's head jerked up in time to watch the troll slide to a stop fifty meters away from Levi. Where Levi had been flat on his back and completely still just a moment before, he now stood in his flawless Tai Chi stance. White energy whipped across his skin. His eyes glowed a bright white.

When Levi moved, Joe lost sight of him. It was like he'd disappeared. Then he heard another crack from where the troll had stopped. Shifting his focus, he saw Levi standing with a foot extended in a kick, as the troll came crashing down to the ground. As Levi resettled into a stance, the energy whipping along Levi's skin flickered and went dark.

"I swear to God, you can't lose now, Levi," Joe mumbled through gritted teeth.

----

Levi woke, still inside his deeper mental space. On his back, he stared up at the new energy channels that had formed. It was stunning.

'Fractals.' Was all Levi could think as he stared at the never-ending pattern above him. They were everywhere. As far as he could see, three-dimensional fractals spun themselves out from his core.

He watched as they lit up with energy. 'Beautiful.'

Then Levi realized that energy was being burned fast. Whatever was happening, he was using insane amounts of energy.

He quickly got to his feet and looked around for the closest skill he could find. He didn't question or hesitate as he slashed through it, relieved as he saw the energy disperse and reinvigorate the new energy above him.

----

Joe watched as the energy burst to new life across Levi's skin. Joe had no clue what had happened but felt his body relax slightly in relief.

And Levi was suddenly on top of the much taller troll, slamming fist after fist into its face. Joe wasn't sure how, but Levi was literally 'ground and pounding' a troll far larger than himself. The troll was already limp, but Levi's blows didn't stop.

Again, the energy on Levi's skin faded, and again, it was suddenly renewed in a sudden burst of light. As Levi pounded, Joe watched the energy wax and wane, ignorant to what was causing it, but hoping Levi could finish the job.

Then, Levi grabbed the bloody mess of the troll's head, shoving a hand into each eye-socket, braced his legs beneath him against the troll's chest, and pulled. Again, the energy dancing across Levi's skin flickered, and again, it returned in a brilliant glow.

And then Levi was holding the troll's head in the air above him, torn free by pure strength.

Joe felt relief flood through him, but he didn't smile. "What the fuck was that?"

Then Levi collapsed.

----

Levi was about to chop away his last skill knot when everything went still inside his mental landscape.

Was it over? He waited a few seconds. After nothing happened, Levi decided it had to be over. Whether the troll was dead or he was, everything had grown still inside him.

As he decided to leave, he wondered if he'd be stuck in that place again. That question was answered as his consciousness was ejected, and he found himself staring up at the head of a troll.

"What the..." was all Levi managed to get out before his vision blurred and he felt the searing pain throughout his entire body. He felt himself falling as his consciousness slipped away.

----

David had lost track of how long he sat with his face buried in his knees. He felt so empty, and that emptiness was full of pain. He'd never felt this way, not even when his mother had died. He wanted to sit there until he died. Truthfully, he just wanted to lay down and keep his eyes closed until he died, but the thought of laying down... next to her...

When the experience notification for completing the white buffalo quest flashed in his vision, David dismissed it without bothering to read.

But he did begin to sob again.

'Human.' A slow, deep voice rumbled through David's mind.

David didn't even flinch at the voice. He just slowly looked up, wondering where the voice had come from.

The white buffalo stood before him, its eyes, gentle pools of brown, staring down at David. Chain fragments still hung from its horns.

"What do you want?" David spat.

'I come to communicate my deepest condolences at your loss, grieving one. I come offering a small measure of thanks,' the buffalo answered.

David perked up, suddenly filled with hope. "Can you bring her back?" he asked, gesturing toward Maddy's mangled remains.

'I am afraid I cannot. It is beyond my authority. Only the One Above All could do such a thing.'

"Oh, your precious Law-shaper." David growled.

'The Law-shaper?' Then the buffalo blew hot air at David in a huff. 'Oh. You mean the puppet who plays puppeteer of this place. No. Not that.'

"Then who? The entity? You know what, it doesn't even matter. If you can't bring her back, you have nothing to offer me. Go away." David put his face back down into his knees.

But the buffalo didn't leave. 'Perhaps what I have to offer is not enough. It can never be enough, I believe, grieving one. But I believe you will want it, regardless of how short it falls of being enough,' it said.

David's head rose again. "Yeah, you think so? Try me."

'You cannot bear to look on her. I can see this. Her shattered body is too much for your heart to bear. I can see this. I cannot bring her back. Her Spirit rests with the One Above All. But I can restore her body, that you may bear to look upon her... so you can say goodbye and find peace.'

Anger swelled inside David, but he bit his lip until it bled. The buffalo was right. He did want that. More than he'd realized. But he wanted more than that, he wanted anything he could get. "Can you make it so that her body will never rot away...perserve it. If you can, that's what I want. I want her to be her beautiful self forever... I know she's gone... but she deserves it."

The buffalo huffed, and stared down at David. After a long moment if blinked slowly and exhaled a hot wet gust into David's face. 'I will not lie... Not forever, no. But I could shield her body from time and nature for a very long time. Your body would rot away before her body even became stiff. I could do that, but if I did, it would be a curse upon your heart. It would only bring you suffering.'

David straightened. "I don't care. If you can do it, do it! You want to offer your thanks, fucking do it."

The buffalo's head slowly turned to Maddy's body and then back to David. 'What you ask of me will only bring you more harm.'

"I. DON'T. CARE. Do it, and me and you are square," David growled at the buffalo.

The buffalo stared down at David, then closed its eyes and lowered its snout until it touched the ground. 'As you wish.' Then the buffalo took two shuffling steps until it stood before Maddy, and lowered its snout once more.

David, even as it tore his heart in two to see her battered body and face, watched on as the buffalo inhaled deeply, then bowed its head down to Maddy's body. The buffalo's horns lit up brightly, and it let out a massive, slow exhale over her. The changes were immediate.

Twisted limbs straightened, the features of her face slowly restored until he saw her beautiful face again, her clothes began restoring themselves, and then all the blood that had covered her and her clothes seemed to fade away. Still the buffalo blew his breath over her. Her hair untangled itself, straightening and then laying gently against her cheeks. Then the bottle blonde that was now grown out, exposing over an inch of her roots, began to change, slowly turning to her natural brown. For a second, David wanted to make the buffalo stop, but it was already too late, and somehow seeing Maddy with her natural hair color felt better to Davud in a way he didn't understand himself.

Then the buffalo was done. And David fell onto Maddy's flawless remains and scooped her into a tight embrace, her body limp and warm in his arms.

He felt his tears between their cheeks as he was finally able to say goodbye, and knew he'd never be able to let her go.